Caviart Daisy established a new track record in the three-year-old filly pacing category at Shenandoah Downs on Sunday, May 10 with a dominating 1:53.1 effort in Virginia Breeders Stakes elimination weekend action.
The Sweet Lou-Caviart Darlin filly powered away to a three-length lead after the start of her $13,699 division and cut panels of :28, :56.2 and 1:25 before carrying a six-length lead into the top of the stretch. The Jamie Sullivan trainee crossed the line eight lengths the best and increased her bankroll to $306,906. Tony Morgan guided Caviart Daisy, a defending Virginia champion, to her seventh career victory in 13 starts for owner Frank Chick. The previous divisional record holder was Caviart Sophie, who set her 1:54.1 mark in 2024. Caviart Santa Fe (Eric Davis) finished second and Fools Journey (Jason Walters) took third. The win price was $2.20.
Hagerman Racing's More Than Better ($7.80) wired the field in the other sophomore pacing filly division in 1:56.3. The More The Better N-Aristobrat Hanover filly's margin throughout wasn't as robust as Caviart Daisy's, but she got the job done in panels of :29.1, :59.4 and 1:29.1. She finished a half-length ahead of runner-up Meemaws Column (Russell Foster). Watch Sparks Fly (Justin Vincent) finished third. More Than Better, trained by Herman Hagerman, is now two-for-13 lifetime with $61,333 in earnings.
Caviart Sheridan ($9.20) and Caviart Cadet ($2.40) won Breeders Stakes divisions in the three-year-old colt/gelding pace category. The former won by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:55.1 courtesy of a coast-to-coast trip authored by driver Nick Roland. The Tracy Bradshaw trainee put up :28.4, :58.1 and 1:27.1 fractions and improved to three-for-15 while taking a new career mark. The Tall Dark Stranger-Caviart Spring gelding has now earned $36,537 for Dr. Edward Ward. Savage Warrior (Russell Foster) finished second while Caviart Hartley (Tony Morgan) was third.
Caviart Cadet's trip mirrored that of Caviart Sheridan as he posted a front-stepping score as the 1-5 favourite with Tony Morgan in the sulky. The Tall Dark Stranger-Caviart Christa gelding led through :29.2, 1:00.1 and 1:30 fractions and posted his 1:58.2 time as unexpected rain moved into the area. The Britney Dillon trainee finished second in the 2025 Breeders Stakes final as a two-year-old behind Caviart Trenton, who was second by a length in Sunday's elimination for driver Eric Davis. Caviart Harper (Billy Carter) completed the ticket.
Breeders Stakes weekend action kicked off Saturday as Cindy Loo Goo ($3) captured the fastest of four sophomore trot elimination races, covering the mile in 1:59.2. The Googoo Gaagaa-Hs Carry On gelding stuck a nose ahead of the front-stepping Punchin Preacher (Wayne Long) just past the quarter and never looked back, crossing the line a three-length winner in 1:59.2 for trainer Scott Betts. Russell Foster piloted the winner for co-owners Tim Betts and Shanamphilankilou Inc. Punchin Preacher was second, followed by Wolfpack Bourbon (Ryder Skinner)
Kalispel ($6) took the other sophomore male trot, wiring the field of eight in 2:01. The son of Gregory Pecs-Speedy Kim Mindale was fresh off a second-place finish in a $142,740 Viginia Sire Stakes final two weeks ago. On Saturday, he held off a pesky Ahtohallan (Scott Betts) in the final quarter to win by a half-length with 21-year-old driver Koltin Noble in the bike for owner-trainer Bob McKim. Harding Boy (Fern Paquet Jr.) was third.
Trainer Ron Millman's filly trotters Progessivekathy ($12.60) and Caviart Gemma ($9.80) won the ladies divisions in 2:00 and 2:00.2, respectively. Dr. Scott Woogen owns the pair, who were driven by Russell Foster and Fern Paquet Jr., respectively.
The former, a daughter of II Mago-Progressive Caviar, passed eventual runner-up Wolfpack One (Ryder Skinner) at the head of the stretch and charged to a 4-1/4 length triumph. Wolfpack One (Ryder Skinner) was second, while Cherrys Girl (Logan Ebersole) finished third.
The latter crossed the line second to Honolugoo (Russell Foster), but after a judge's review, the order was flipped and Woogen's Captain Corey-Gossip Hanover filly gained the top spot. Twisted Janet (Corey Braden) finished third.
A second round of Virginia Breeders Stakes eliminations will be held next weekend followed by a Day of Champions card on May 23, when a four-pack of $100,000 USD finals will be contested.
(With files from Shenandoah Downs; photo of Caviart Daisy winning on Oct. 25, 2025)